Fan-hanger outlet.



F. B. ADAM.

FAN HANGER OUTLET. APPLICATION FILED APILZ?, |9I-6.

Patented Got'. 30, 19W.

UNITED sTATEs )PATENT oEEroE.

FREIlRICK B. ADAM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK :ADAM ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

FAN-HANGER OUTLET.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

Application filed April 27, 1916. Serial No. 94,010.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDRIGK B. ADAM,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fan- Hanger Outlets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices that are used to support or house a lsocket in which a plug or other form of connector is adapted to be arranged so as to connect an electrically-operated device to an electric circuit.

Prior to my. invention electric fans were either mounted on a table or-on a bracket, 'shelf or wall plate secured to a wall in proximity to the connecting receptacle for the fan. The methods above referred to for supporting electricV fans are all more or less unsatisfactory, on account of the space they take up and the unsightly appearancethey present, both when the fan is in use and after the fan has been put away for the season.

The. main object of my invention is to provide a combined receptacle` carrier and fan hanger that presents a neat and ornamental appearance at all times, thus overioy coming the necessity of mounting a bracket, j,

shelf, plate or other device on a wall, in addition to the receptaclec'arrier, for supporting a fan that is in use.

Another object is to provide a fan hanger outlet which is so designed that an electric fan can be installed on. same or removed from same `quickly and easily.

And still another object is to provide a supporting device for an electrical recep- Fig. 5 is a, perspective view, illustrating tacle, which comprises as a part thereof a' another form of my improved fan hanger outlet.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, which illustrate one form of my invention wherein the receptacle carrier is in the form of an outlet box, A designates the body portion o-f the outlet box that forms a housing for an electrical receptacle 1, and 2 designates the removable cover of the box which preferably consists of a metal plate that is detachably connected to the body portion A by means of screws or other suitable fastening devices 3 that are screwed into elements 4 formed either by integral lugs on the body portion of the box, or by separate members arranged at the four corners of said body portion, or in any other suitable. position, .and securely connected to the body portion by brazing, riveting or in any other suitablemanner. The cover 2 completely hides the body portion of the box from view, and said cover is provided with an opening through which a plug 5 or other form of connector can be inserted, so as to. establish electrical connection between an electrically-operated device, such, for example, as a fan B, and the electric wires 6 that lead tothe receptacle 1 arranged inside of the box, as shown in Fig. 2. When the plug or connector 5 is not mounted in the receptacle 1, the opening in the cover 2 through which said plug passes is covered by a closure 7 which is preferably hinged to the cover 2.

The outlet box above described comprises as a permanent part thereof afan hanger or supporting device for the fan B that is 'connected to the receptacle arranged inside of the box. Said fan hanger or supporting device may be formed in various ways and can be combined with the box in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. In the lform of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the fan hanger consists of a device 8 carried by the cover 2 of the outlet box and projecting forwardly from the lower portion of said cover so as to form a projection on the box on which the base plate 9 of the fan can be hung, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The device 8 may either consist of a bolt arranged with its head 8a on the inside of the cover 2 and its screw-threaded shank projecting forwardly through the cover and securely connected to the cover in any suitable manner, such, for

'head 80 is arranged on the outside of the cover 2, and whose shank is screwed into a lnut or block 80b permanently connected `to the inner' face of the-cover 2, as shown in Fig. 3. With a hanger of the forni shown in Fig. '2 the base plate of the fan can be slipped over the forwardly-projecting shank ofthe hanger and thenv locked securely in position by screwing av nut 8* onto said shank.Y With a hanger of the form shown in Fig. 3 the base plate of the fan can be placed against the cover 2 and the bolt 80 can thereafter be inserted through a hole in said base plate and screwed into the nut 8()b on the insideof the cover 2 of the outlet box. When the fan is not arranged in operative position on the box the bolt 80 can be screwed inwardly into the position shown in broken lines in Fig.` 3, so that only the head 80a will be exposed to view.

portion A ofthe box.

It is immaterial, so far as my broad idea is concerned, Whether the fan hanger is carried by the cover 2'of the box or by the body In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have illustrated a-form of my invention wherein the hanger is permanently connected to the body portion A of the box, said hanger consisting of an externally screw-threaded stud 180 that projects forwardly through an opening in the cover 2 of the-box. The stud 180 can be connected tothe body portion of the box in various ways, but it is preferably connected to a post or block 10 that is riveted or connected in any other suitable manner to the body portion of the box, said stud being provided with va nut 1.80a that is adapted to be moved into engagement with the base plate of the fan mounted on the stud.

It is also immaterial, so far as my broad idea is concerned, whether the receptacle is carried by an outlet box embedded in the wall, or by a plate or other member secured to the face of the wall. In the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 5 the. receptacle carrier consists of a uwall member, preferably a plate A wthat is adapted to be arranged on the face of a wall, said Wall member being provided with an electrical receptacle l, mounted either directly on said member or in any other preferred manner. \At a point preferably below said receptacle, a fan hanger 280 projects forwardly from theplate A', said fan hanger consisting of a fixed bolt, as shown in Fig. 2, a removable. bolt, as shown in Fig. 3, or any other suitablek means that will serve as asupport for an electric fan.

A structure of the character labove described forms a combined electrical outlet and fan hanger that vpresents a neat and ornamental appearance at all times. When the fan is in use the base plate of the fan bears against the portion of the lreceptacle carrier that is arranged on the face of the wall, and the only portion of the hanger that is'exposed to View is the nut on the shank of the hanger in the form of my inventionrv shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, or the head on the shank of the hanger in the form of my invention shown in Fig. 3. Vhen the fan is notin use the receptacle carrier presents the same appearance as an ordinary `wall receptacle carrier, except that a small manipulating a singlenut or a. single bolt,

depending upon whether the hanger is in the form of a stationary bolt or a removable bolt. Furthermore, when the fan is not in. use the receptaclefcan be used for establishing connection between any other electrically-operated device and the circuit in which the receptacle is arranged. A fan hanger outlet of the construction above dcscribed overcomes the necessity of marring a wall by attaching a shelf, bracket, wall Vplate or other device to the wall, in addition to the receptacle carrier, to support the fan when the fan is in use; it presents practically the same appearance as an ordinary wall receptacle carrier when the fan is not in use and in view of the fact that it is intended to be arranged on a side wall, some distance above the loor, it supports the fan in such a position as to give the best service to the entire room.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A fan hanger outlet, consisting of a box that is adapted to be set in a side wall so as to form a housing for an electrical receptacle or similar element connected to a supply circuit, a cover for said box7 a rugged device projecting forwardly from said cover so as toform a support for an elctric fan which is adapted to be removably mounted on said device, and means for securely clamping the base of the fan against said cover, said cover having an opening in same through which the connector of the fan can be inserted.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this twenty-fourth day of April, 1916.

' FREDRICK B. ADAM.

Witnesses:

WELLS L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

